10 February 2004	Tuesday	18 Zilhaj 1424

HYDERABAD, Feb 9: Activists of the Sindh National Party on Monday commenced a march by foot from the shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai to Hyderabad to protest against construction of the greater Thal canal and the Kalabagh dam.

Led by party chairman Amir Bhambhro, the protesters carried banners and placards and raised slogans against the government and the water projects. Earlier, party leaders laid a floral wreath on the shrine of Shah Latif and offered Fateha.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Bhambhro said the projects were being constructed to irrigate barren lands in Punjab which would convert Sindh into a desert. He criticized the rulers for not considering resolutions adopted by Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan assemblies against the Thal canal and the Kalabagh dam.

The SNP chief claimed that Sindh alone had the right over Indus waters and resolved that his party would continue its struggle against the disputed water projects. He urged the Sindhi people and political groups to unite on one platform against the Kalabagh dam and the Thal canal.

Mr Bhambhro also announced the support of his party for the scheduled rally of the Anti-Greater Thal Canal Action Committee and the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz hunger strike in Karachi and asked party activists to participate in the rally and the hunger strike.

Dilshad Bhutto, Rasheed Magsi, Ashraf Noonari, Hakim Halepoto, Akhtar Khoso and others also spoke on the occasion. The participants of the march after crossing Khando, Khebar and other roadside villages reached Sekhat where they would stay for the night.

They were welcomed by villagers. The rally adopted several resolutions, opposing the construction of the Thal canal, Kalabagh dam, Akhora dam and the Bhasha dam and demanding distribution of water according to the 1945 water accord.

It further demanded that adequate water should be released downstream Kotri and new canals be constructed to irrigate lands in Thar and Kohistan. It called for dissolving Wapda and Irsa and handing over water and power systems to the provinces.

The protesters demanded that dams should be constructed in Manchhar and Thar to end shortage of water in the area and said an autonomous technical committee be appointed in this regard.

They further demanded that the provinces should be given autonomy as per the 1940 resolution, National Finance Commission award be announced on the basis of revenue generation and political prisoners be freed.